Robert Lewandowski expressed his desire for Lionel Messi to return to Barcelona ahead of next season.

Club legend Messi left Barcelona in 2020, after financial issues at the club prevented the renewal of his deal, and joined Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi's contract in the French capital runs out in June and an exit seems increasingly likely, particularly after his name was booed by some fans during the recent Ligue 1 defeat to Lyon – with supporters venting their frustration at the club's policy of signing big-name players without yielding results in the Champions League.

A return to Camp Nou has often been touted and Lewandowski, who joined the club last year from Bayern Munich, wants to play alongside Messi next season.

"Messi belongs to Barca and if he comes back it will be something incredible," he said at the launch of the 18th book of Solidarity Stories of Sport.

"We know your place is here in Barcelona. I don't know what will happen, but I hope that next season we can play together."

While Barcelona are poised to win LaLiga for the first time since the 2018-19 season, the club exited the Champions League at the group stage and were eliminated from the Europa League by Manchester United.

A Copa del Rey elimination at the hands of Real Madrid prevented a potential treble for the Catalan side, who won the Super Cup earlier in the season, and Lewandowski feels that Barcelona will improve next year.

"It's still early days for LaLiga. We are taking steps and it is not easy," he explained.

"We have a lot of new players and a lot of injuries, like in the group stage of the Champions League or the last game against Madrid, so it's been difficult.

"At Bayern it has always been normal, but Barca is in the process of becoming great again. We have to be patient and I'm sure next season will be better."

Ajax have finally filled the void left by Marc Overmars with the appointment of former Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund transfer chief Sven Mislintat.

Overmars was sacked by Ajax in February 2022 after "a series of inappropriate messages sent to several female colleagues over an extended period of time".

The former Netherlands international apologised for his actions but departed the club, accepting a role at Belgian side Antwerp a month later.

In the meantime, Ajax have operated without a specific director of football, Overmars' duties instead handled by technical managers Gerry Hamstra and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

Mislintat, who left Stuttgart in late 2022, will step into the void from May 19.

Ajax CEO Edwin van der Sar said of the appointment: "It is good for Ajax that we have been able to fill this important position with an internationally experienced football director who can start quickly.

"A careful process preceded the search for the right person. We were looking for someone who stands for attacking and attractive football.

"Someone who has an international network, and has an eye for scouting, development, and the growth of our own youth.

"Sven meets the profile, and he made a very good impression on us from the first talks in February.

"In addition, he has a way of working that fits today's industry. I am convinced that he will make an important contribution to new successes of Ajax."

Mislintat made his name at Borussia Dortmund, where he was head of scouting and head of professional football between 2006 and 2017, playing a vital role in the identification of talents who re-established BVB among the elite.

Robert Lewandowski, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mats Hummels, Shinji Kagawa and Ousmane Dembele all signed for Dortmund on Mislintat's watch.

He became Arsenal's head of recruitment in 2017 but his spell in charge of transfers was largely deemed a disappointment, leaving in February 2019.

Mislintat returned to Germany with Stuttgart two months later, staying until late last year when he opted against signing a new contract as he sought a new challenge.

Carlo Ancelotti is keen for his Real Madrid side to meet Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul.

Los Blancos face Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the competition, while Milan are building up for an all-Italian affair against Napoli.

Madrid will be favourites against Chelsea due to the poor season being endured by the Premier League side.

For Milan, the situation is different as Napoli have blown away their rivals in Serie A this season, but they will have the backing of Ancelotti.

Asked what he said to Paolo Maldini in a recent call with the former defender, Ancelotti told Rai Radio 1: "It was above all a wish for Milan, of which I am a fan.

"In reality, Milan-Napoli will be a very balanced and very uncertain match.

"Would it be nice to meet in Istanbul? For Madrid, yes, I think also for Milan, but everyone wants to get to Istanbul."

In his pre-match press conference ahead of the first leg of the quarter-final tie against Chelsea, Ancelotti again outlined a desire to meet Maldini in the final – particularly with the host city not holding fond memories for the pair, who lost in Istanbul against Liverpool in the 2005 final.

"Paolo and Istanbul is not a pretty memory especially in 2005," Ancelotti added. "I have all the love in the world for Maldini, he has been my captain and my partner and if we can see each other on my birthday [the day of the final] it will be very good".

For Milan, the tie against Napoli is a chance to build upon their recent thrashing of the runaway Serie A leaders in a game that is certain to be an emotional one.

Because of this, Ancelotti explained that motivational speeches are not required ahead of the game and pre-match discussions should be purely tactical.

"In these types of games the players are going to feel the pressure, they are going to be very motivated, so you don't have to make motivational speeches," he explained.

"The speech that is going to be made is linked to the strategy of the game, trying to give clear and simple indications to the players, so that they feel involved: it is also a way to take a little off the pressure that these games inevitably put on you."

Carlo Ancelotti is saddened by Chelsea's struggles this season but expects his former side to bounce back under Frank Lampard.

The Real Madrid head coach faces off against the Blues in the Champions League quarter-finals, the first leg taking place at Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.

While domestic form has not been the best for Madrid, heading into the tie on the back of a 3-2 reverse against Villarreal at the weekend, their form in Europe in recent years has been devastating.

Los Blancos have won the Champions League in five of the last nine seasons, the most recent of which was last year, and boast vast experience.

However, Ancelotti does not believe that will have an impact in the two legs against Chelsea, where he expects the Blues to provide a stern test.

"I'm sad. I have great memories of my time at the club. I spent two very good years there," he said at a press conference when asked about Chelsea's poor season.

"I don't think my experience will change what's going to happen tomorrow. Lampard has been a great player that I coached for two years.

"He knows this type of game well and how to prepare his team. It's been a week, but he's going to do well in the time he's at Chelsea.

"We had a really bad time here [last year] and we have to respect Chelsea. They are not going through a good moment, but they have a very good team.

"Sometimes when you're worse, you bring out the best."

Madrid faced Chelsea at the same stage last year, losing 3-2 at home in the second leg but progressing as 5-4 aggregate victors, while the semi-final against Manchester City was similarly dramatic.

Playing the first game of home this time around allows Madrid to potentially build a lead to defend at Stamford Bridge in the second leg, which Ancelotti highlighted.

"We have to think it's a 180-minute game and try to do well tomorrow. It's not decisive, but we can help manage the second leg better," he added.

"We are looking forward to returning to the Champions League and living a magical night at the Bernabeu.

"We have to take advantage of the fact that we play the first game. I think we played well at home and away last year, we did well in every game and deserved to win the title.

"We had to come back, and we had more energy in the finals. We deserved to win the Champions League last year and we will try to deserve this one if we play better than others.

"They were difficult moments against Chelsea and City but we didn't give up the games and ended up winning the title."

Trent Alexander-Arnold believes there were flashes of the old Liverpool on display in Sunday's fightback against Arsenal but accepts it was probably too late for a top-four push.

Liverpool drew 2-2 with the Premier League leaders at Anfield, battling back from 2-0 down to earn a commendable point – and they probably should have completed the turnaround late on.

A positive outcome did not always look likely, however, as Arsenal were utterly dominant at the point of going 2-0 up and were arguably unfortunate not to have scored more themselves.

The turning point seemed to come in the 41st minute when an altercation between Granit Xhaka and Alexander-Arnold sparked a fiery atmosphere in the stadium, and Mohamed Salah pulled one back shortly after.

Liverpool looked the bigger threat from that point and inexplicably failed to get a late winner after Roberto Firmino's equaliser, with Darwin Nunez and Ibrahima Konate passing up gilt-edged opportunities.

The point did not do much for the Reds' Champions League hopes, but Alexander-Arnold felt the performance showed Liverpool are not a lost cause even during a difficult season.

"We showed a different side to us, one that we've had in previous seasons, where we get past disappointment and are able to get back into games – and we showed that, so that's a decent sign," he told Liverpool's official website.

"But we need to be getting three points. No matter whether we're playing top of the league or bottom of the league, three points is our aim and we know we could have got that [on Sunday].

"We showed a different side to us. We showed that we really wanted to go out there and put a good performance in.

"Even though you're playing probably the best team in the league, we still showed our quality and dominated them for the whole second half and should've won the game."

However, the Reds remain 12 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United with nine matches remaining.

Alexander-Arnold accepts overturning such a deficit looks a tall order.

"We take the point and try to improve it next week," he continued. "We've got a full week to go and train, and that's what we need to go and do.

"We have our targets and it's going to be difficult to get Champions League football now I think. But it's still mathematically possible, so as long as that's possible then that's what we go for.

"We're not in the position we want to be in at all but there's still nine games to go. That's where our heads are at – let's go and try to win all nine."

Brandon Lowe urged the Tampa Bay Rays to "keep it rolling" after they continued their dream start to the season by beating the Boston Red Sox 1-0 on Monday.

Lowe's home run in the eighth inning was enough for the Rams to become the first team since the Milwaukee Brewers in 1987 to begin their MLB campaign with 10 consecutive victories.

It was a third home run in as many games for Lowe, who has nine RBIs in his past three appearances.

He said: "It's great to come out on top. Let's keep it rolling."

Rays manager Kevin Cash was impressed with the manner in which Lowe bided his time before making a decisive impact.

He said: "Brandon had a really good at-bat. Hung in there on some pitches, and then he got a fastball that he could get the barrel to.

"And we know that he can knock it out of the ballpark when he connects."

Champions League holders Real Madrid resume their European campaign on Wednesday as they once again go up against English opposition in Chelsea.

Now with Frank Lampard in charge again, Chelsea realistically need to win the Champions League just to qualify for it next season, with the Blues languishing 11th in the Premier League.

But after brushing Liverpool aside in ruthless fashion in the last round, Madrid will be massive favourites in the eyes of most people.

Wednesday's other Champions League duel is almost as intriguing. Serie A rivals Milan and Napoli will tussle in San Siro, with any of the four teams in that side of the draw likely fancying their chances of reaching the final.

Ahead of two potentially engrossing matches, Stats Perform picks out the best Opta pre-game facts.

Real Madrid v Chelsea: Benzema out to continue dominance of Premier League opposition

This season has been perceived as an underwhelming one for Karim Benzema in some respects, with injuries disrupting him – particularly ahead of the World Cup.

But since Qatar 2022, the only player across the top five leagues to register more goal involvements in all competitions than Benzema (24) is Manchester United's Marcus Rashford (25), and the Frenchman has been especially lethal in recent weeks.

He scored hat-tricks in each of his first two games this month and was sensational in Madrid's 6-2 aggregate defeat of Liverpool in the previous round, scoring three times over the two legs.

That haul means each of his last 10 goals in the Champions League have been against English clubs (in order: x4 Chelsea, x3 Manchester City, x3 Liverpool), which is already the longest such streak against clubs from a single nation by one player.

Benzema's form and Chelsea's rather unimpressive current state would have most considering Los Blancos firm favourites on Wednesday, and the Blues would do well to stop their hosts from scoring given they have netted in each of their previous 30 Champions League knockout games at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Chelsea and interim manager Lampard will be grasping to every hint of optimism they can find.

Their record against Madrid might be one such example, as they have the lowest percentage of losses (14 per cent) of any team to have played them at least five times in European competition.

The Blues are also unbeaten against the Champions League reigning champions since 2004-05 (six games), which is a record.

Milan v Napoli: Uncharted territory for the Partenopei

This promises to be a memorable season for Napoli, who are within touching distance of a first Scudetto since 1990.

But their Champions League journey could yet elevate this campaign to hitherto unseen levels for Luciano Spalletti's side.

After all, this will be their first Champions League quarter-final. Considering they were drawn into the side of the bracket that looks wide open, the outlook is promising.

Admittedly, Napoli were remarkably beaten 4-0 at home to Milan at the start of this month, though the Serie A leaders should be a different beast with Victor Osimhen back in the team.

The Nigeria international's brilliance in attack has contributed to Napoli being the top scorers in this season's Champions League with 25 goals, while only Bayern Munich have won more matches (eight to seven).

Furthermore, Napoli's average of 3.1 goals per game is the fifth-best in a single campaign after Bayern in 2019-20 (3.9), PSG in 2017-18 (3.4), Real Madrid in 2013-14 (3.2) and Liverpool in 2017-18 (3.2).

Milan will hope they have the defensive nous to counteract that. And, to be fair, they are one clean sheet away from five successive Champions League shutouts for the first time since 2004-05.

Some might also point to Milan's greater experience in such ties, though this will actually be just their first quarter-final since 2011-12, and they last reached the semis in 2006-07 en route to winning the competition.

For the Rossoneri, even when you take into consideration that freak 4-0 away win on April 2, a positive result on Wednesday is surely a must – Napoli will be aiming to make it four successive wins over Milan at San Siro.

The Arizona Cardinals are reportedly being bombarded with trade interest in their third overall pick for this month's NFL Draft.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, at least six teams have contacted the Cardinals to gauge their asking price.

Arizona are believed to be open to trading the pick due to the fact that they content with Kyler Murray as their franchise quarterback going forward, and with the top two picks almost assuredly going to be used on quarterback prospects, pick three is viewed as the only chance to trade up and get one of the class' best arms.

The Carolina Panthers recently traded up from pick nine to the Chicago Bears' top overall selection with the clear goal to select their quarterback of the future, and in addition to pick nine they sent away pick 61, a 2024 first-rounder, a 2025 second-rounder, and their top wide receiver D.J. Moore.

It has the potential to be a franchise-altering haul for the Bears, and while the package for what is essentially the third-best quarterback prospect in the class will be significantly less than the price to have your pick of the bunch, a bidding war could be just what the Cardinals need.

If they were to stay put at three and make a selection, the Cardinals would likely take the best non-quarterback on the board, and the consensus there is Alabama edge-rusher Will Anderson.

Anderson would immediately become one of the Cardinals' most valuable players, but a roster with so many holes needs more than one defensive player to get things back on track.

Arizona also hold three more top-100 picks – at 34, 66 and 96 – and four more in the later rounds, so a strong return for their top selection could set the franchise up for a quick turnaround.

Star Miami Heat wing Jimmy Butler has no interest in embracing the role of underdogs this year as he prepares for a third deep playoff run from his past four seasons.

Butler, 33, led the Heat to a shock NBA Finals appearance back in the 2020 'bubble' playoffs, and after a first-round exit in 2021, the Heat showed they still have plenty in the tank with another Eastern Conference Finals run this past year.

Although few picked them to win multiple rounds last season, the Heat still finished as the top seed in the East with a 53-29 record, which is in stark contrast to their 44-38 campaign this time around that has them seventh.

By finishing seventh, it means the Heat will participate in their first play-in tournament, hosting the Atlanta Hawks for a chance to claim the seventh seed, and if they lose they will play the winner of the nine-ten matchup between the Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls for the eighth seed.

When asked on Monday if their position in the play-in meant Butler would embrace the underdog tag heading into this postseason, he was clear that is not the case.

"Nope," he said. "It's all the same. Didn't nobody pick us to win last year, either. So who cares. Y'all not going to pick us this year, still don't give a damn. In 10 years, y'all still not going to pick us – still don't give a damn."

Butler carried the Heat all the way to Game 7 against the Boston Celtics last season, narrowly missing out on another trip to the NBA Finals, but he said he does not feel external pressure to perform at the same level.

"I'm going to do whatever it takes for my team to win, night in and night out, and honestly, I could care less what anybody writes, if I was a good basketball player or a bad basketball player," he said. 

"Coach Pat [Riley] and coach [Erik Spoelstra] didn't bring me here because of what y'all write, in the most respectful way possible. 

"As I take on [Tuesday's] matchup and we get that dub, we'll worry about what goes on down the line, but I think I'm going to be a decent basketball player at the end of the day."

Head coach Erik Spoelstra was far less agitated, speaking about how excited he is for the new experience.

"First, I think this is going to be fun," he said. "I think you have to embrace this new experience. 

"To the old heads in our locker room, each of us have experienced long NBA careers and none have had this opportunity. I think it's been great for the league. 

"How harrowing this has been the last six, eight weeks for 16 teams in the West and the East, has just been great for competition."

The Atlanta Braves won a 5-4 extra-innings thriller against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday thanks to a walk-off home run from catcher Sean Murphy.

Despite the teams eventually combining for nine runs, the contest was scoreless through five innings.

The tie was eventually broken in the sixth as Murphy connected on an RBI double to put the Braves up 1-0, and Orlando Arcia made it 2-0 in the seventh frame when he came home on a wild pitch.

Jake Fraley brought the Reds back into it with an RBI single to cut the lead to one run in the eighth inning, but Arcia's RBI single later in the frame put Atlanta up 3-1 and meant Cincinnati would need to produce something special in the last.

After Wil Myers started the top of the ninth with a lead-off single, pinch-hitter Stuart Fairchild flipped the game on its head with an RBI triple, leaving the tying run on third base with no outs.

When Spencer Steer followed that at-bat with an RBI single, the Reds would have felt they were in position to run over the top and steal the win, but Braves closer A.J. Minter was able to get a crucial double-play to send things to extra innings despite registering his first blown save of the season.

A Jonathan India RBI single in the top of the 10th meant the Braves would have to come from behind to get the victory, but home fans would not have to wait long, as Murphy connected with the walk-off home run on relief pitcher Derek Law's very first pitch.

The win snaps the Braves' (7-4) three-game losing streak at the hands of the San Diego Padres, while the Reds will be content with their 4-5 start.

Rays become first team since 1987 to start 10-0

The Tampa Bay Rays are the first team since the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers to start a season with 10 consecutive wins after a hard-fought 1-0 home triumph against the Boston Red Sox.

In a game with only two total extra-base hits, the Rays finally made the breakthrough in the eighth inning as Brandon Lowe sent a Chris Martin fastball 404 feet over the left-field wall.

It was the third game in a row that Lowe has hit a home run, and with it he kept the Rays' chances alive of tying or beating the all-time best start of 13-0, held by the 1987 Brewers and the 1982 Braves.

Tampa Bay fell one game short of becoming the first team since the 1939 New York Yankees to win 10 games in a row by at least four runs each.

Phillies beat up Alcantara

Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara had a miserable day on the mound as his Miami Marlins were hammered 15-3 by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Alcantara, who gave up just 58 earned runs in 32 starts in 2022, allowed the Phillies to rack up 10 hits and a walk, resulting in nine earned runs through four innings.

Alec Bohm led the way for Philadelphia with six RBIs as he went three-for-five with a home run, while Brandon Marsh and Jake Cave also went deep.

Charlotte Hornets head coach Steve Clifford made it clear on Monday that he understands the franchise must begin winning soon or risk losing young star LaMelo Ball.

Ball, 21, was the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and he was named the 2021 Rookie of the Year after averaging 15.7 points, 6.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game.

He went up a level in his sophomore season, raising his averages to 20.1 points, 7.6 assists and 6.7 rebounds, and despite the Hornets struggling to the fourth-worst record in the league this time around, Ball again showed significant improvement.

In year three, Ball became one of the league's most aggressive three-point shooters, with his 4.0 made threes per game trailing only Damian Lillard (4.2), Klay Thompson (4.4) and Stephen Curry (4.9), while shooting a very respectable 37.1 per cent on 10.6 attempts per contest.

He also finished this season sixth in assists per game (8.4), and top-30 in both points per game (23.3) and steals per game (1.3), although his 36 games played was by far the lowest total of his career.

Ball is unquestionably the brightest prospect in the Hornets' organisation, and Clifford told reporters it is crucial that the team holds up their end of the bargain to convince him to stick around long-term.

"He badly wants to win," Clifford said. "When you're at his level, there are certain expectations. You're going to be compared to the other point guards his age that have had – not incredible playoff success – but have had some.

"It's important to his career."

When asked Monday about his long-term future in Charlotte, Ball said he "plays it by the day."

"I love it here," Ball said. "I can't really tell the future. We'll just see how it goes and go from there."

As for Clifford's comments about it being critical for the Hornets to start winning to keep him here, Ball replied: "For sure. The main thing is winning. Life is better when you win."

The Hornets will be encouraged by comments from starting wing P.J. Washington, who was a lottery pick in 2019, and enjoyed a career-best season at age 24.

Washington showed he is perhaps more capable than the supporting role he has been cast in, highlighted by a stunning 43-point, six-rebound, five-assist performance in a win against the Oklahoma City Thunder in late March.

"This is really where I want to be, and I haven't thought about being anywhere else," Washington said. "Everybody is here. My family is here, my kids are here. This is home for me now."

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Monday that shortstop Oneil Cruz underwent successful surgery to repair a fractured left ankle and is expected to miss around four months.

Cruz, who hit 17 home runs in just 87 games during a highly promising rookie season in 2022, was injured sliding into home plate during the Pirates’ 1-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.

The 24-year-old was later taken to Pittsburgh’s Allegheny Hospital for a procedure that stabilized his fibula and addressed an injury to the syndesmosis, a fibrous joint located near the ankle.

The six-foot-seven Cruz, who has had his throws across the diamond clocked at around 100mp/h, has served as the Pirates' leadoff hitter this season and had posted a .375 on-base percentage with seven runs scored during the team’s surprising 6-3 start.

"My solace is in the fact he's OK," Pirates manager Derek Shelton told reporters Monday. "We’re talking about a 24-year-old kid here. My concern is more about the kid than worrying about a timetable or what’s going on."

Shelton said Rodolfo Castro will see the majority of time at shortstop until Cruz comes back, likely sometime in August. Castro, a switch-hitter, had been splitting time with the left-handed hitting Bae Ji-hwan at second base, but made 17 starts at shortstop in 2022.

"Obviously, losing Oneil is a blow because he’s a big part of what we do on both sides of the ball," Shelton said after Sunday’s game. "The flip side of that, because of the depth we’ve created over the last couple of years, we're probably in a better spot to handle it than we have been previously."

Cruz added 54 RBIs and 10 stolen bases while batting .233 last season, and hit .250 with one home run, four RBIs and three steals through the first nine games of 2023